The Catastrophe
by pampongchamp
Summary: There's been a death in the family... R/Hr, Canon, Post-DH


A/N: Welcome to my first ever Harry Potter fanfic! I'm so excited!

I'm extremely new to this fandom in general so any and all feedback is greatly appreciated

Thanks for reading! :o)

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Hermione gave her sleeping baby an extra tight squeeze before laying him in his crib for a nap. She waited until she'd tiptoed into the hall and quietly shut the door before she let out the sad sigh she'd been holding tight in her chest.

She was quite emotional today. But she was trying her best to maintain her composure. A small girl with bouncy ginger curls and dirt on her knees appeared before her in the hall.

"Mummy. Daddy says come outside" she outstretched her chubby arm which was also quite dirty.

She followed Rosie out to the garden where she quickly scampered toward Ron who was kneeling in the grass at the back of the small yard. Hermione approached them slowly, not entirely ready for what was about to happen.

This morning she had awoken to Ron sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. His shoulders slumped a little, his brow furrowed in worry.

"Ron?" She'd asked, her voice heavy with sleep, "is something wrong love?"

He looked down at her, she could see in his eyes he wasn't sure what to say next. His gaze bounced around the bedspread as he struggled for words. "Mione, well uhm..." He shook his head quickly as if trying to realign his brain and he began sputtering the words, "When I woke up this morning I went into the livingroom and Crookshanks was laying in front of the fireplace. He didn't move when I came in so I went to check on him..." His voice trailed off. "I'm so sorry 'Mione."

Hermione felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. Crookshanks, her beloved cat. She'd had him for more than fifteen years, and she had no idea how long he'd been around before she'd rescued him from a lonely life in a cage in Diagon Alley. She hoped he had gone peacefully.

Ron handed her a cup of tea and told her she could stay in bed awhile if she liked.

"My cat's died Ronald. I'm not an invalid." She'd snapped as she threw the covers off of herself and popped out of bed.

She'd ignored him most of the morning, embarrassed by her rude behavior. He was only trying to be kind, but she didn't want to be treated like a fragile creature. She could grieve like a strong woman.

But now she was standing next to Ron looking into a hole in the earth that contained a large red hatbox and her departed companion. Ron was kneeling near the hole, Rosie in his lap with her little arms wrapped tight around his neck.

"Well, I suppose I'll say something." Ron said reaching for Hermione's hand. She reluctantly took it and he continued. "Well Crookshanks, we're going to miss you a lot. I'm sorry I threw you off the bed every night when you fell asleep on my pillow, and for throwing you off the bed every morning when you clawed my back at dawn. I'd never admitted it before but I guess I liked having a warm pillow and never sleeping through work. I hope wherever you are you've found someone else to leave claw marks on. Goodbye mate." He bounced Rose on his knee a moment and asked her quietly, "You want to say anything to Crookshanks darling?"

She pulled her little face out of Ron's chest and looked at the grave. "I love you." She said quietly.

Hermione felt a hot tear run down her face that she quickly swiped away. "Well then." She said quickly before turning on her heels and hurrying into the kitchen.

With a heavy sigh Ron began working diligently on filling in the hole in the garden. Rose squatted in the dirt next to him with a small trowel in her hands, getting some dirt back in the hole, but most of it on herself.

When they finished the pair began walking back toward the house. Rose pulled on Ron's trouser leg and looked up at him with her big blue eyes.

"I'm sad Daddy."

"I know love." He stopped and knelt down next to her, "You know what? I think your Mum's real sad too. So, why don't you go inside and give her the biggest hug and kiss you can, yeah?"

"You give her kisses too."

He smiled, "Of course I will."

She started to go but Ron caught her dirty wrist. "Hold on." He pulled his wand from his pocket and quickly removed all the dirt from her hands and face. "Okay. Now go."

Rosie hurried into the house and Ron took a moment to put away his tools. When he got inside he found Hermione in the armchair with Rosie in her lap. Hermione had one arm wrapped all the way around the toddler and was the other stroking her fine curls.

She looked up at him while still holding tight to her baby. He was sure she'd been crying. She had that look in her eyes. The one that said "if you even mention that I might have been crying I will make you miserable." So he just leaned in and tenderly kissed her forehead.

Ron went to the floo while he threw on his coat. "Mum needs me to pick up a few things for her. So I'll see you all there in an hour or so?"

She nodded and he was gone in an instant.

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When Hermione and the children arrived at the burrow later Molly Weasley scurried toward them. She kissed Rosie and took Hugo out of Hermione's arms. "Oh Hermione darling I was so sorry to hear about Crookshanks. He was a lovely cat."

"Thank you." She said softly.

"Rosie your cousins are playing in the garden and Grandmum is just going to stay right here and squeeze Hugo all day long!" She tickled his round tummy and he smiled his drooly, gummy baby smile before tucking his head against her chest.

"Squeeze me too Grandmum!" Rosie cried, pulling on her apron.

Molly laughed and bent down to let Rosie put her little arms around her neck. "Oh my little loves!"

She stood and kissed Hermione on the cheek, "Bless you for giving me these beautiful babies!" She took Rosie's hand, "Come on everyone let's go enjoy this lovely day shall we?"

Molly started for the back door and Hermione followed silently. She looked over to the den where Ron and Teddy were in the midst of a chess game. Ron was leaning back easily in his chair, his arms crossed behind his head. On the other side of the board Teddy sat with Arthur and Harry on either side of him, all three intently staring at the remaining pieces.

Arthur leaned into whisper something and Ron interrupted, "It's really no use Dad. He just can't beat me."

"Oh I dunno Ronnie, he might be better than you were at his age."

Ron sat up dramatically, "That's a lie!"

It was then that Harry noticed her standing in the doorway. "Oh hello Hermione!" he said cheerfully.

Ron turned around quickly, "You doin' alright love?"

She glared at him and followed Rosie out the door with a huff.

Hermione stepped outside to the loud sound of Weasley cousins running amok across the grass. She stopped a moment to talk to Ginny when suddenly everyone jumped at the sound of a child shrieking.

"MUMMY!" Rosie came barreling around the corner, "Mummy a kitty!" she screeched.

When she stopped in front of Hermione she saw that in her arms was indeed a baby kitten. It was light grey with patches of white, and a light blue bow around its neck.

"Rose, where did you get this?" she asked as calmly as she could.

"The kitty was in the flowers!"

Hermione felt anger rise up inside of her and she turned on her heels and went storming into the house, "Ronald Bilius Weasley!" she barked.

Ron jumped up from his chair just in time for her to grab him by the collar and drag him out of the room.

"Woah, what did I do?" he asked with a slight laugh when they reached the back corner of the kitchen.

Her arms were crossed and her cheeks were already turning red. "Oh please don't act like you had nothing to do with this!"

"I don't know what you're talking about Hermione."

Just then Rosie scampered in from behind her, "Daddy! I found a kitty!"

He leaned down and reached out to pet its tiny head, "Well look at that. He's lovely Rosie. What are you going to call him?"

"Uuuhhmm…" Rosie began, and Ron looked up at Hermione and saw the look in her eyes. He immediately knew what was coming.

"Why don't you go show Grandad lovey."

As soon as Rosie had skipped out of the room Hermione snapped, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"About?"

"Our daughter just finds a kitten the same day that my cat, that I've had more than half my life passes away! What does that sound like to you?"

"A miracle?" he laughed.

She let out a frustrated scream "Ugh! Ronald you are being so insensitive!"

"What? It is! Now you don't have to be sad about Crookshanks! We can just be happy about the new cat."

"So you just wanted to replace him?"

"No! That's not what I meant. And I didn't have anything to do with this!"

"Oh, right yes 'I have to pick something up for Mum' you mean 'I've got to run by the pet shop'"

"Hermione, I'm telling you I didn't go buy that kitten and plant him in the garden." He reached out to touch her cheek and she looked away from him. "I know how much Crookshanks meant to you, but Rosie's so happy. And have you seen him? He's adorable."

With her arms still tightly crossed over her chest and tears pricking at her eyes she stared at him, unmoving.

After a few moments of silence Rosie ran into the room again

"Mummy Hugo loves the kitty! Come and see!"

Hermione called over her shoulder, "I'll be right there darling." She looked back sternly at Ron, "I'm not finished with you."

When she'd left the kitchen Ron sighed heavily and stuffed his hands in his pockets, slumping against the doorframe.

"Do you want me to tell her I bought the kitten?" Harry asked coming up behind Ron.

Ron kept his focus on Hermione. "Are you kidding me mate? She hasn't yelled at me like that in ages."

Harry looked back and forth from Hermione to Ron, she was on the floor with Hugo and the kitten, trying to teach him the word "gentle" She looked up and caught Ron staring at her. She smiled a moment, just a small smirk before she focused her attention back on the baby.

"Stop being a pest Ron."

"Yes dear."

Ron turned to Harry sporting a huge grin.

Harry rolled his eyes, "Ugh, you're both nutters."


End file.
